Friday, August 05, 2011

Spot-On Playdate: Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman

"I CAN'T WAIT!" YELLS LULU.

"IT'S THE FIRST OFFICIAL BUG SQUAD PLAYDATE." LADYBUG GIRL KNOWS IT'S GOING TO BE PERFECT!

Hostess Ladybug Girl has planned everything to make the Bug Squad have a day to remember. And when they arrive--Butterfly Boy Sam, Dragonfly Girl Marley, and Butterfly Girl Kiki--all are in costume as their super alter egos, with wings and capes and other accoutrements of bugdom in place. Lulu, with her faithful Bassett hound Bingo in tow, takes her friends into her favorite place outdoors and launches into her carefully structured playdate plans. First they must demonstrate their special Bug Squad powers, which they all do with considerable elan. Next on Lulu's agenda is artwork--each member must draw their self-portraits in character as Bug Squad heroes.

Then Mama comes down into Lulu's special grove with the piece de resistance, chocolate cupcakes with a candle for each one to blow out. Ladybug Girl has even that activity already choreographed in her imagination:

"NOW," SAID LULU, "WHEN I COUNT TO THREE, WE ALL HAVE TO BLOW OUT OUR CANDLES AT THE VERY SAME TIME."

Sam and Marley follow through on cue, but Kiki's candle only flickers and then flames back up.Without thinking, Ladybug Girl leans over and with a strong puff, Kiki's candle is out, too. But then she sees that while Sam is already demolishing his cupcake, Kiki isn't eating.

"YOU BLEW OUT MY CANDLE!" SHE SAYS

"BUT I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP! YOU DIDN'T BLOW YOUR CANDLE OUT AT THE RIGHT TIME." LADYBUG GIRL INSISTS.

"WE DON'T HAVE TO DO IT YOUR WAY! I WAS MAKING UP MY OWN WISH."

Suddenly Ladybug Girl has an insight. Just because she has an plan for a perfect playdate, her friends may have their own ideas that deserve respect, too.

In David Soman's and Jacky Davis' latest collaboration, Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad (Dial Books, 2011), Lulu learns that too much control doesn't make for good friendships. This series, which pointedly specializes in imaginative outdoor activities, hits the right spot here in a simple lesson in giving friends space to be themselves in a relationship, an important theme for the preschool reader presented in an easy-going and familiar format.

Post a Comment

About

About Me

Retired after 32+ years as an elementary librarian, I really miss the joy of bringing together the right book with the right reader at the right time. Loving both kids and books equally as I do, perhaps helping children and the adults who care about them find good books through this blog is the next best thing to being there.
I am an Amazon associate, which means that clicking on the image of a book I reviewed or on the title of any book mentioned in the review will take you to full publishing and purchasing information, as well as other reviews and comments for most books. I also receive review copies from publishers or authors from time to time, with no implied promise that the books will be reviewed favorably or at all.